Vehicle wheel



F. A. FROM MANN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPUcATtoN FILED ocr. l5. |914.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SNEETI /Elvmmanfli F. A. FROMMANN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED ocT. 15. |914.

Patented Sept. 2,1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

F. A. FROMMANN.

VEHICLE WHEEL.

Awucmou flu-:D oc. u. |914.

1 ,314,739. Pu'tented Sept. 2, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l 6 @C7/@ S563.' Zyzvenzaf TIIB IIOLUMBIA PLANOUDAPH co.. WASHINGTON. n. C.

FRANKLIN A. FROIVIMANN, OF CHICAGO, ILIIQINOIS.`

VEHICLE-WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.` p Patentedsiept, 2V, i1919..

Application :tiled October 15, 1914. Serial'No. 866,800.

`To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN A.FROM

MANN, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and `State of Illinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Vehicle-Wheels Iand I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same. v

\ :My-invention relates to vehicle wheels,

and more particularly to the class of wheels having rim or tiremembers tloatingly and resiliently mounted with respectto the hub members thereof.` The prime object of my invention is to provide a simple and easily :assembled wheel construction which will permit a considerable relative motion of the `rim and tire members of the wheel radially withv respect thereto, but which will permit `only ya limited relative circumferential motion of the said members. Another object is to provide a simple means for strengthenino' the side flanges of the rim member so t! r l:

members displaced under pressure.

vr i }Figs.` -5- and -6- are views, similar to Figs. 1- and -2-, 'but of an alternative embodiment of my invention.

. t In the drawings, the wheel of my invention comprises a hub member consisting preferably of a hub 1 having a plurality of spokes2 integral therewith, each of the said A spokes being preferably hollow and equipped at its outer end with a transversely perforated forked portion 3. Pivotally mountedl lupon a bolt '4 passing through each of said forks 3 isl a a cushion carrier 5, the said cushion .carrier being preferably segmental inshape and'equipped upon its outerface with a plurality of pairs of `opposed clencher formations 5', each of said clencher formations being adapted to receive the base 6 of' a cushioningwmcmben Each of said cushlonlng members preferably comprises a pluralit of legs or teeth 7 extending substantial y radially ofthe wheel outwardly direct from the base 6 and secured integrally t0 the `latter. Theradially outward ends of the several toothed' or legzgportions 7 of the cushioning members are preferably disposed substantially in a cylindrical surface having the axis of the wheel at its center, f

whereby the said surfaces are adapted `to bear withuniform pressure against the inner ed e of the cylindrical rim 8 of the tire mem er of the wheel when there is `no strain upon the wheel.

The r1m member ofthe wheel preferably comprises a cylindrical rim I8 having at each of its lateral edges annular side portions 9 and 18 extending respectively inwardly and outwardly of the cylindrical portion `8 in a plane at right angles to the axis of the wheel, the outwardly extending portions of `the said flanges 9 being adapted to receive a plurality of tread blocks l() therebetween. The tread blocks 10 may be of wood or any other semi-resilient material,v andare preferabl secured in position` by being driven radia ly inward `against metal wedges 1l positioned upon the outer surface of the cylindrical rim portion 8, which rim may also be e uipped with outwardly directed annular formations l2 adapted to divide -the tread-carrying portion ofthe wheel into a pluralit of annular formations. Project- 111g ra ially inward from the cylindrical rim portion 8, and normally preferably midvway between the radial axes of the spokesl2,

are webs l3,-which webs divide the annular yspace bounded by the cylindrical portion 8 andl the inwardly directed portions yof the A langes9 into a series of chambersv or compartments. Each of the said compartments is open radially inward and iscircum-feren- `tially7 substantially equal in length to the radiali outward or pediferousportionof the cus ioning member carried by the spoke opposite the said chamber or compartment.

In assembling the wheel of my invention, I preferably equip the rim portion thereof with the tread blocks and then insert the pivoted rocking members 5 into the respective chambers or compartments with the outer ends of the cushion portion 7 bearing -against the inner face'of the cylindrical rim portion 8,.this being preferably donewvith` by about half as great an angle as thatben tvv/een the spokes, as yshoyvn by dottedylines in Fig.v 'whereupon `I rotate the hub member of the wheel tothe"p'ositionvshown in full lines in Fig. `f1 and insert the bolts 4 `through thef'forked ends- 3 ofthe spokes and the pivotal lugv-llofthe baseof 'thee rocking member.` l Tol avoid ,La relative circumferential motion' of the 'endslof-the spokes When-'the Wheel isunder strainsgl 4preferably connectfthesefendsby 'a 'pairnof stilfening rings lsecured to the ends-'of the s `okes bythe bolts and'vvhich rings' have anges 17 slidingly-engagingfthe outer surface' yof the invvard` rini flange*v 9,so thatthe latter will slide lbetWe'enthe adj acentiia-n ge 17 and; the adjacent edge -'of- 'the cushion carrier 5.51 alsoV preferably interpose a pair "of bushings 16 between'J theprong's Vof each 'fork 3 and the lugportion '14 of-therocking member pivoted to the'.said"forlg'ffsol asto prevent a tighteningA of the` bolt 4 passing jthroughwt'he `said fork from clan'iping-jthe ,prongs of theI fork tightly againsty the perforated' portion of theI rocking "memben Consequently, the rockingy member Willjbe -free to' move pivotally about -rthe-bolt'l so as to; tilt the base of-the'cushion carriedbythe saidm'ember with respect to --thjejcyliiidrica-l rim portion 8 `of `the tirekv member `ofthe Wheel. f a

It Willb'e evidentV fro'ni Fig. #11j-'that when the :Wheel is in motion the tire` member Lthererif'Will tend'to lag behind the hubmemand the cushioningmember-'carried by the latter, and alsothat the Yforledljend'of the spoke may move'r radially relative tothe adjacent portion of therim member, thereby ldistorting and compressing lthe*cushiorring member, as'shown'ni Fig-Af. `@In `,doing so", the transverse `passages fvvhich` `subd1vide `the outer portionofjthe' cushioning member into* a 'number 'of legs `Will permit anninde- 1' `pendent compressing' of various :"perti'ons th'ereo`i:',vvhile the portions ofthe cushioning l Y I n niembers "projecting c-ircumferential1yn"'he` termedi-ate 4of the portions f15- and1-7 of the 1,15

Eyondth'e 'endsfof thefbase" 5 carrying'*the same vvillbear l"against the Webs 113, thereby tending to restrict the" relative circumferenl tial motionofthefhubmember 'of thevvheel n l Withv respectv to the tire member 'thereo'f. ','It Will also be evident, thatin cases' offunusu- -ally 'severe'st'rains one end of the 'saidbase 'Y may'lengagethe"l adjacent -'vveb lto effectively stop any further ycircumfermti'alIdisplacement While the" portion ofthe cushion at 1theother c nd of the rocking- ,member nlay "be momentarlly entirely out r"of lcontact "with a thefweb 113VV adjacent 'thereto, t 'as shown?k i: n .y onsequently, the engagement of the end `ofthe base of the rockingmember with the ladjacentvveb A13 Will relieve the cushioning imember of strains due to a tendency toward an excessive relative clrcumferentialmotionuSe Offa pediferous cushioning member, :nor lto other detalsiofcthe .construction herein' disclosed,l as thesa1ne-might benvaried in lmany Ways Withoutffdeparting from. the spirit ofnmy invention.u`.. f u i For example, instead ofltequippingf `each 4spoke Withia forkedend, Lmayprovifde a forkedtrunn'ionf =formation19 npoir the base of the., rocking member, Aas "shown inflFig. v-? -,-y fin rvvhich lcase the Ispoke m'ayfbei pro- 1 vided with a single end lug 20,-vvhi1leal `tight clamping of the fork Tof :the rocking mem- Lber upon the saidspoke endmay bea'voided f by 'spacer bushingsQlipositioned upon'opguard against an outwardfflexingf'off .the radially i inwardly' directed. portions 9 of the However, I do ynot vvishtoxbe-` limited tothe f' `posite sides ofthe @said-spoke end-.-1\To"` laterali-rim anges,-which flangeshave slid# ing engagement With `the outer e'dgesiof` the base `portion of the? rocking niem'ber, Lpreferably equip this portion of the #flanges `-With lugs 22 extending radially inward-from the respectivey lianges and- `connected wbyl transl verse bolts 23,='each of said; bolts' lhavinga 4 spacer I tube 2.4 l.housingr thesha-nk fof'fftheji .-bolt intermediate of Lthe respectiv" angshif A- iw wf H n, l To simplify the construction, the st iifeii- Yingl rings l5 `may be :quitefsimple annular ymembers-as in Figs. 3 and 6J@ Hovveverlf preferably equip them with flangesy 1T` Foverhanging the'y rim iangesl 9, as by -doingiso "side 'dirt fromreadilyf'entering the interior'rfof the rim inem/ber, since the #portions-252ml *the* said annularwmembers prevent mud or j 'member' radi ally andfcircumferentiallyf' 'mov-p l able W'ithrespect Vto the'v fhub'inemlbe'r,the"i said rimfmem'berf having sidelflanges" `ebX-A f tending radially invv'a'rdf' therefrom'j,"y and havingradially disposedl partitions extendf ing transversely jtof theI said 'n side flanges j `'v'vhereby vthe "annular, chamber "bounded" by* n ""tlie'rim and the side flanges' is dividedinto 130 `a plurality of pocket formations; and a l having radially outward engagement with the rim of the rim member and having its respective ends adapted to bear against the opposed sides of consecutive partitions.

2. A vehicle wheel comprising a hub member carrying a plurality of spokes; a rim ioning members carried member radially and circumferentially movable with respect to the hub member, the said rim member havin side flanges extending radially inwar therefrom, and having radially disposed partitions extending transversely to the said side flanges whereby the annular chamber bounded by the rim and the side flanges is divided into a plurality of pocket formations; and a plurality of rocking members interposed between the said rim and hub members, each y of said rocking members comprising a support pivotally secured to one of the spokes of the hub member, and a lurality of cushy the said support and extending substantially radially therefrom, each of the said cushioning members having engagement at its radially outward end with the inner face of the rim of the said rim member, the spacing between the said cushioning members circumferentially of the wheel permitting a circumferential expansion of the said cushioning members when compressed radially of the rim.

3. A vehicle whee'l comprising a hu'b member carrying a plurality of spokes; a rim member radially and circumferentially mova'ble with respect to the lhulb member, the

said rim member having side flanges extending radially inward therefrom, and having radially disposed partitions extending transversely to the said side flanges whereby the annular chamber -bounded by the rim and the side ianges is divided into a plurality of pocket formations; and a plurality of rockin members interposed between the said r1m and hub members, each of said rocking members comprising a support pivotally secured to one of the spokes of the hub member and having its lateral edges in slidable engagement with the side iianges of the rim member, and a cushioning member carried by the said support and radially yieldingly supporting the rim member.

4. A vehicle wheel com rising a hub member equipped with a p urality of spokes rigid with the hub-member; a rim member radially and circumferentially movable with respect to the hubmember, the said rim member having side flanges disposed substantially at right angles to the axis of the Wheel; an intermediate member mounted upon each of the said spokes and slidingly engaging the inner surface of the said side flanges; a cushioning member carried by each of the said intermediate members and interposed between the latter and the said rim member; and annular guards carried by the spokes and preventing the entrance of grit between the side flanges of said rim member and said intermediate member.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANKLIN A. FROMMANN.

Witnesses:

ALBERT SCHEIBLE, M. M. Bom.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

